Redeeming A Savior
by unfamousone
Summary: He was her savior. Could she, in turn, be his redeemer?
1. chapter 1

_First fan fiction. I don't own walking dead or any of its characters other than my oc(s)._ _Rated M for later chapters._

 _"Anne," cooed a voice from the door of her room. Ten year old Anastasia cowered underneath the bed sheets; knowing and dreeding what would come next. Only one person in the world called her by that name. A name she had come to despise in her short life. Her little body trembled with sheer terror as she felt her mattress dip at her side. The bed frame groaned in protest as though it knew an intruder had unwelcomly invaded. The soft covers that had protected her were slowly pulled away to reveal her tearful brown eyes and tiny quaking figure._

 _"Please," she choked back a sob, "not again."_

 _"Oh, but Anne," whispered the deep male voice as he laid down and placed a hand on her thigh. "You are just too beautiful. Besides, it's not as though anyone else will ever love you."_

 _Anastasia looked up at her step-father pleadingly._

 _"Please." She wimpered once more as she gazed into his unrelenting grey-green eyes, searching for any humanity but finding none._

 _"Hush now," he warned, beginning to lose his patience, "This will all be over soon..."_

Anastasia bolted upright, drenched in sweat, and tried no to show her inner panic. Looking around she was relieved to see her two companions were still very much asleep. Taking a few deep, calming breaths she hoisted herself into a standing position and tiptoed past their sleeping forms; making her way to the front of the room. Spending the night on an old bathroom floor of a state park was uncomfortable to say the least. However, it was preferred over spending the night outside with the dead roaming about.

She stationed herself in front of a mirror and sighed. She bearly recognized the eighteen year old in the mirror. It seemed a lifetime ago but the tips of her plain brown hair, tangled as it was, still faintly showed the auburn highlights it once held. Her simple brown eyes held no spark. The bags under them made her look like she had lost a fist fight. The t-shirt she wore was much too large and hid what little figure she had. Her pants were, in actuality, men's jeans held on by a piece of brown string and the legs had been cut to fit her 5'2 frame.

"Critisizing ourselves again I see." came a quiet voice and Anastasia couldn't help but grin slightly. She turned and looked at her best friend, James. A small giggle escaped her lips as she replied,

"Oh you're one to talk. I think you spent a whole hour crying over fingernails last week."

"That," he huffed jokingly, "is **completely** different. You never know when you'll meet he right guy." He winked at her just before a sweatshirt hit his face.

"Would you two pleeease keep it down?!?" whined a third voice as their other friend, Josh buried his head into his pack. "Some of us actually **_like_** sleep around here."

Anastasia and James both rolled their eyes as James stood, stretched, and groaned a little before joining Anastasia in front of the mirror. Concern shown through James' ocean blue eyes as he caught sight of the bags under Anastasia' s eyes.

"Bad dreams again?" He questioned gently. Her only response was a quick nod.

"It was about him wasn't it, Ana?"

"I think I saw a small pond last night." She interrupted, trying to change the subject, "We can stop there and wash up before heading out." She flinched as a hand came to rest on her arm. She looked at James who's gaze held no pity. Only understanding as he whispered,

"You are stronger than the nightmares. He'll never hurt you again. And if he isn't dead already," He paused and leaned in a little more, "I'll kill him when we get you home, I swear." Then he turned back to his own reflection; releasing her arm in the process.

Anastasia knew he was serious, and she loved him fiercely for that. She had grown to love " _her boys_ " and was well aware they enjoyed her company as well. They were 14 when they had all met. A year before the world went to shit. They had stuck together through thick and thin. Ana was there when both James and Josh came out to each of their families. They had stayed with her each time she was admitted to the hospital...

Ana shook her head, willing her thoughts away from her step-father's constant abuse. He was gone. She needed to focus on getting the three of them home alive.

She squared her shoulders and grinned; just before whipping the sweatshirt back at Josh. "Lets go lover boy!" she sang as she made her way to the exit. "Otherwise James and I will get washed up without you."


	2. Chapter 2

Anastasia opened the door and took in her surroundings. The new moon had been no help the previous night and she was starved for some kind of bearing. Anything that would give her a hint of where she was geographically speaking. James stepped out behind her, followed closely by Josh. Anastasia knew they had to be getting close to home. Before the world had taken a dump on itself the trio had jumped at the chance to leave their home near Washington DC and visit Josh's mom and step-dad in Miami, Florida. Two years and a shit storm later and they almost home. All Josh and James could talk about was seeing if their families were okay. Maybe James' dog was still alive. Maybe Josh's farm was still standing. It had never been much the they were already making plans to secure it and call it home. Anastasia usually got real quiet during these talks. She could care less if her step-dad was alive or dead. " _Hell, maybe he was one of those mindless fuckers and she could beat his face in with a crowbar."_

A high pitched shriek jarred Anastasia back to reality. She whipped around to see James jumping up and down his face threatened to split in two from the grin it contained. "I know where we are! I KNOW WHERE WE ARE!" he exclaimed, looking about as if he didn't believe it himself.

Josh placed his hands on James' shoulders in an effort to calm him and lower his voice. "Okay, man, easy. Where exactly do you think we are?"

"I don't think I KNOW!" insisted James still with a voice that would make any soprano jealous. "My family always went camping here during the summer weekends. We can't be more than a day's walk from home!"

This news almost put Anastasia in tears. Home: the word sounded almost foreign to her. After everything that happened they could make it by daybreak. She took a moment to steady her emotions then turned to the boys. "Okay," she said, in the calmest voice she could muster, "A day from home... Let's not push it, alright? If we go off half cocked we are not gonna make it. Please, James, take it easy."

"Buzz kill." said James as he slowed his bouncing but held onto his smile. "Okay, **_mom_** , what do you suggest?"

Anastasia squinted at James in feigned annoyance and sighed. "First," she we need to find a map. The front of the state park will have road maps. If we really are that close we will be able to see exactly where to go." James,... lead the way."

Rolling his eyes, James shot Ana one more smirk before making his way back to the front entrance. Josh and Ana followed close behind him. They moved lightly. Only carrying with them enough for 3 days food, one change of clothes, and two weapons each. That's how it had always been. They is how they survived.

The trio had almost reached the entrance to the park when they came to a horrible realization: No walkers... Not a single one of the brainless bastards had been so much as smelled let alone seen. Anastasia turned to James and whispered, "I have a really bad feeling about this."

"Me too," he whispered back, putting a hand on Josh's arm and pulling him back to the fold. They didn't have to ponder their situation long as a man stepped forth from the far tree line, pistol in hand, and aimed at the three. Worried glances turned to looks of terror as more men, armed to the teeth, appeared alongside the first and began to converge on them. One thought raced through their minds: Would they make it home alive?

 **Author's Note:** **Thank you for holding out for chapter 2. I hope it is liked. Please leave some reviews. Stay tuned for chapter 3 which i promise will come much faster than the last one.**


	3. chapter three

Anastasia didn't know how many men there were as they seem to come from every direction. She saw the first man with a gun and knew they were in deep shit. A gun was something they hadn't seen since the start. She carefully placed her weapon, nothing more than a small dagger, on the ground and raised her hands slowly as she looked to her friends to do the same. Thankfully James and Josh followed her lead as they dropped their own meager weapons to the ground and placed their hands above their heads. Ana took a deep, calming breath and began to analise the men before her.

Their captors, who's numbers couldn't have been more than 6 or 7 adavanced at a steady pace. As they closed in tighter they slowly began to circle the three. Soon, the pack of men stood almost shoulder to shoulder. This gave the kids very little room to move. When the men stopped everything was silent. There were no sounds of wildlife; no breeze through the various trees. It was so quiet that Anastasia could hear her own heartbeat poundingher "Everything," a voice sliced through the air so suddenly Anastasia jumped, "everything you have is now ours."

"Okay," Ana reliped causiously, "you can everything. We don't want any trouble. Just take it and let us be on our way."

"You misunderstand me, sweetheart," the leader said as he broke away from the pack. "We are wolves," he stated as he raised his gun, "we are taking **everything**." Then, before anyone could react, he pulled the trigger.

Anastasia fell to the ground in shock. James screamed in agony as he watched Josh touch the hole in chest then slowly toppled over. Ana watched as James tried to fight his way to his best friend and lover. He had almost made it when the back of his head was pistol whipped and he slammed into the dirt like a felled tree. The last thing Ana saw was Josh, gasp his last breath and slip away before she felt a brief pain at the base of her skull and her own world went dark.

Anastasia woke with a start, disorented and in extreme amounts of pain she shook her head gently. Then, the memories of what happened came flooding back and she struggled to stand, only to find she was bound hand and foot. "Ah look," came a familar voice, "our entertanment is awake." footsteps came up behind her and the sound of a knife was heard. Anastasia shut her eyes, waiting for the pain. When it did not come she opened her eyes slightly. She ropes around her ankles were cut and Ana was dragged to her feet and towards the nearest tree. Once resecured in a standing position against the tree she watch a wolf emerge from behind... the same wolf that had put a bullet in her friend's head. She lunged at him, the ropes holding her in place. The man laughed an easy, chilling laugh as he stepped up to Anastasia. All to quickly he was forehead to forehead with her, a long blade pressed against her treceia. "Here's how this is gonna work, bitch." he sneered, "you are going to satify each and every one of us here. Failure to do so will bring a lot of pain... to him." He nodded to one of his men who dragged a beaten and bloodied James from a makeshift tent. Anastasia's heart broke and a tear escaped her eye; cutting through the dirt on her face. "Do we have an understanding?" Ana nodded quickly.

" _No tears, Ana."_ she thought to herself, " _No panic; you have to fight it. For James' sake."_ She inhaled deeply as she tried to calm herself. The monster before her grinned maliciously as he bent over and began to slice away at her pant leg. All too soon there was nothing left of her jeans. As he started in on her underwear she started to struggle as memories flooded back of her childhood and another monster. A slap brought her back to the moment and the man began to curse her saying, "You stupid whore! I fucking warned you!!" He raised a closed fist but just before it could connect Anastasia watched an arrow pierce through his wrist. The man cried out in pain and dropped to his knees. Ana could feel herself going into a state of shock. She tried to fight it as she watched the scene unfold before her. Three figures emerged from the thickets; guns blazing. One man, of average height, wore a backpack and shot down the two guarding the tent. The second, no more than a boy, wore a wide brimmed hat and carried a silenced pistol which he used to put down three of the others standing nearby. The last figure to emerge caught Anastasia's eye as her world began to darken. A long haired, grungy looking man welding a crossbow. Just before the darkness took her Ana saw the leader, the moster that killed her friend and tried help himself to her, take a bolt to the temple and the long haired archer approch her. "Hey, are you alright? She looks bad. Aaron, Carl, we need to get them home **now**." The voice faded and Anastasia let the nothingness consume her.

 **Author's Note: Thank you everyone for waiting for this next chapter. We are getting there!!! Having two youngsters in school and struggling with depression makes this a much needed escape for me. I know where i want my characters to end up. Im just not sure how to get them there. This makes it both fun and frusterating. Feedback would be wonderful.**


	4. four

Anastaisa's head was killing her. She opened her eyes and immediately regretted it. She groaned as she tried once again to take in her surroundings. The room she was in was simple in its decoration. The twin bed had a plaid designed blanket. The night stand contained a lamp, her small knife, her lucky guitar pick, and a note. Her pack was in the far corner and the chair on the other side of the room held a sleeping man...

Ana sat up quickly groaning again as she did so. Her right chest area was very tender. She pulled back her tattered shirt gingerly and gasped. There inches above her breast was a red, angry looking burn in the shape of a "W". A final gift from her previous "company". Ana turned her attention back to the man as he stirred in his sleep. He had sholder lenghth hair that looked like he had washed it with grease. He was dressed in a worn button up and basic black pants. He looked was completed with a old vest and a crossbow resting against the chair. Anastasia remembered the note on the stand and reached for it. She recognized James' handwriting and breathed a sigh of relief.

The note read: _Hey sleepyhead! Welcome back to the land of the living!! You've been out for five days now. The doc says you should be out of danger. They were pretty concerned about the cut on your leg._ Ana stopped to examine her leg. Sure enough on her thigh was a long cut that had been stiched up. _If you're concerned about who undressed your bottom half that was the doc (a girl) and myself. I told them that would be for the best. We are only 2 miles from home and they have running cars here so i was able to convince someone to make a run and get some of your stuff. No sign of Mister Icky there. We will talk more as soon as you get the all clear. I'm helping out where I can. Love you lots lady! ~James P.S. These people are good people. You can trust them._

Anastasia smiled. "Mister Icky" James always knew how to make her feel better. She looked over the note again, unaware that the man in the chair had opened his eyes and was watching her. Ana jumped when he cleared his throat. "Hey," he spoke softly, "good to see you awake. You had us worried there for a bit. My name is Daryl."

Daryl had watched this girl go from terrified to relaxed as she read the note her friend had left her. She did not strike him as the flighty type and was suprised that he had startled her. She actually reminded him of Beth. He spoke gently to her as he stood and slowly stretched. He reached out and she recoiled. He stopped and said soothingly, "Its okay. I'm just checking for a fever. Doc is out grabbing a bite so I need to check if you wanna get up and explore this place. Is that alright?" The girl nodded and allowed him to place his calloused hand on her forehead and cheek. Nodding in satisfaction he pulled his hand back. "How ya feelin'?" he asked.

"I'm okay." she was so quiet that Daryl could barely hear her. He stood to his full height and declared she was free to get up and "try out her legs" Anastasia stood gingerly and tested her footing; only to have Daryl catch her as her knees buckled. "Hey, you're okay," he reassured her as she started to struggle slighty against his grip, "you're safe now. Let me help you until your strength comes back." She relaxed and he assisted her as she walked the length of the room a few times. Satified she could walk on her own he released her elbow and stood back. She paced once more before making her way over to her torn bag. She picked it up and brought it to the bed. Opening it Ana took inventory. After being certain that her things were all still there she zipped it up and turned her attention back to Daryl. "My name is Anastasia. My friends call me Ana. I remember you from the woods. Where am I?"

"You are in Alexandria." Daryl said, "why don't we save the rest of the questions until we get some food in you?"

"No arguement here." came Ana's meek reply as she pocketed her knife and pick. They started towards the door when a noise startled her. She pulled her knife and pushed her back against the wall. Daryl was impressed with her quick reaction and started towards the bathroom. "I almost forgot." He said with a small grin, "Your friend left something here for you." Ana stowed her weapon and waited as Daryl opened the door. Almost instantly she was enveloped in fur and slobber. She could not believe what she was seeing. Josh's dog! "Oh my gosh! Leeloo?" she exclaimed emphatically, "Where in the hell did he find you?" She giggled as Leeloo's tongue covered her face with drool. Daryl watched in amusement before beconing to Ana once more. "Come on, kid." He said with hidden delight. "Let's go check out your new home."

 **OH MY GOODNESS!!! This chapter took forever to pound out. For the longest time I had six different storylines running through my head. I couldnt decide when I wanted my OC to wake up. I finally determinded that she would best suited just before they met Jesus. Please drop a review on how I am doing? Questions? Concerns? Suggestions? I am all ears. Thanks for sticking with me. Merry Christmas!!**


	5. five

It had been five days since Anastasia had awoken in this seemingly untouched community. She wasn't sure how to interact with these people who seemed as divided as she felt. Everyone there welcomed James and herself warmly enough but there was an unspoken tension that rippled through the place. James, Ana's God send, was able to fill her in on most of the residents before she actually had to met them. With one exception being the sullen archer whom Ana felt drawn to almost immediatly. Ana had learned that he had spent the most time watching over her as she recovered. Daryl reminded her of her father before he died. Very outdoorsy yet reserved. Ana felt protected around him; almost becoming like a shadow. He, in turn, felt an urge to protect her. But on this particular day Daryl, James, and another man, Aaron, had gone out looking for others to bring back leaving Ana to meet several new faces on her own.

Deanna was the first to properly introduce herself. Anastasia could feel the love and, stranger still, hope. Something Ana had not felt in a long time. The ladies walk down the street with Ana's dog, Leeloo, in tow.

"How long have you and James been out there?" Deanna asked as the reached Deanna's home and entered. Before Ana could respond another woman stepped into the hallway from a study.

"Hi!" she exclaimed as she extended her hand towards the girl quickly. "I'm Maggie, you must be Anastasia."

Ana instictivly recoiled from the outstretched hand before quickly compoising herself. "My friends call me Ana. Its nice to meet you." She inwardly cursed herself out for flinching. Since waking up Ana's anxiety was almost as bad as before this whole mess had begun and this slight recoil had not gone unnoticed by Deanna.

"Maggie," said Deanna warmly, "did we plan to meet today?"

"No, actually i was hoping to get my hands on a book. Reg said you might have one or two on... um... pregnancy?"

"I do indeed." Deanna replied, "Could you keep Ana company while I retrieve them? I believe they're upstairs." And with that she hurried to the second story, leaving the two women alone.

"Why don't we go wait in the study. Its comfortable and you can get settled for your interview." Maggie laughed softly at the confusion on Ana's face. "Don't worry. Deanna's really nice. She just wants to get to know you and find where you will fit best here." Ana giggled, "she sure has her work cut out for her. I'm not very good at... well anything."

Maggie's smile faltered a little, "Ana, you and your friends survived out there on your own. You came into adulthood, traveled hundreds of miles, and made it home. You did that." Maggie slowly walked up and embraced Ana. "I'd say that makes you pretty awesome at a lot of things." Ana smiled as she hugged Maggie back. "Thank you, Maggie. That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

They embraced a little while longer; each tearing up a bit. Then both women burst into laughter as Leeloo, who was feeling very left out tried to join the hug. Deanna watched the exchange quietly before rejoining the group with the requested reading material. Maggie thanked Deanna. Said her goodbyes and was on her way. Anastasia still held her smile as she and Deanna settled in for their talk. At Deanna's request a video camera was recording while they talked.

"Alright," Deanna began, "how about we start with your age. James said you were all in highschool together when this all started?"

"Yes, ma'am" replied Ana, causing Deanna to laugh. "Please, call me Deanna."

The "interview lasted about thirty minutes. Deanna asked Ana what she had enjoyed about school. What she had dreamed of one day becoming before all this. Ana had, at first, tried to brush off the question; saying it wasn't important anymore. Deanna assured her it was. Ana began to open up about her love for music and how, despite everyone laughing at her, she was determend to become a professional singer and guitar player. Deanna was quiet for a moment then abruptly left the room. Ana was sure that she had said the wrong thing when Deanna returned. She did not return empty handed. She held a beat up acoustic guitar. Ana could barely contain herself as she was handed the old instrument. Her hands shook as they ran gingerly up the neck to the tuning pegs as she gently pulled the strings into place. "This was my son, Adian's" said Deanna tearfully. "He hadn't touched it since before all this and now..." her voice cracked a bit, "and now he's gone. I'd like you to have it." Ana looked up in surprise. No one, outside of James and Josh, had ever done something like this for her.

"How can I ever thank you?" asked Anastasia, beginning to cry a little herself.

"That will come in the form of your job for this place." said Deanna as she dried her eyes and composed herself. "You are to help with morale around here."

"I don't understand." said Ana, as she too attempted to compose herself.

"Anytime the mood strikes you I want you to take this guitar to the gazibo and play. You can sing and play or just strum away. Music is a powerful thing," said Deanna; leaning forward in her seat. "I am certain you know that better than most. It can get you through the worst of times. Am I right?" Deanna asked, looking Ana right in the eyes. Ana was sure that Deanna knew why music was so precious to her. It had saved her when nobody else could. Ana broke eye contact and whispered, "Thank you...may I go now?" Deanna saw she had pushed too hard and dismissed Ana with a hug. Despite being a bit uncomfortable Anastasia hugged back before hurrying away. Carrying with her, her new treasure. Maybe being in this new place would not be so bad after all.


End file.
